Sal Da Vinci leads Italy into Eurovision 2026 first semifinal
sal da vinci will represent Italy in the first semifinal of the 70th Eurovision Song Contest on Tuesday 12 May at Vienna’s Wiener Stadthalle. He enters the lineup with Per sempre sì after winning the 76th edition of the Festival of Sanremo, and Italy also gets a vote in the semifinal without having to compete for a place there.
Vienna opens with 35 countries
The 2026 contest brings 35 countries to Vienna across three appointments at the Wiener Stadthalle on 12 May, 14 May and 16 May. Fifteen countries will perform in the first semifinal, and the top 10 songs in the voting will move on to the final on Saturday 16 May.
Sal Da Vinci’s slot matters because he appears as a pre-qualified Big Five artist, alongside Germany’s Sarah Engels, while Italy and Germany are allowed to vote in the first semifinal. That is a different position from the 15 acts fighting for those 10 final places, and it puts Italy on the broadcast early without putting its entry through elimination.
Big Five, Big Four wrinkle
The semifinal lineup carries another complication: Austria, France and the United Kingdom are set for the second semifinal on Thursday 14 May, while Spain is absent after withdrawing in protest against Israel’s participation. In that setup, the usual Big Five picture shifts in practice, but Italy still keeps its place in the first semifinal as a voting country and a pre-qualified performer.
Victoria Swarovski and Michael Ostrowski will host the contest, with Gabriele Corsi and Elettra Lamborghini handling Italian commentary. For viewers following Italy’s run, the useful detail is simple: the country’s performance arrives on Tuesday 12 May, and the result that follows that night will determine whether Per sempre sì stays in the race for the final.
